Thursday, March 24, 2016

Various photographs taken by the author, with each representing one of the blog’s focal points of Zoology, Cryptozoology, Paleontology, and Paleoanthropology, respectively.

As you have probably seen if you looked through the archives here recently, Blogger has become largely incompatible. As a result, Bizarre Zoology has moved to a WordPress domain, which can be found here. I hope to see you there!

Sunday, October 11, 2015

A remarkable skeletal restoration of Quetzalcoatlus northropi, that giraffe-sized pterosaur of terrestrial-stalking fame, photographed by yours truly at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History this past summer.

Despite my attempts to be as prolific a writer as a teenager engrossed in highschool can be, this blog has experienced a hiatus in publications since May 1st. This lapse in writing has spurred some concern among viewers as to whether my blogging career was finished. While the more important obligations of my life have made it difficult for me to make any progress on the numerous articles currently in draft, quite an important change is on the horizon for this blog. In case you haven't been following the Bizarre Zoology Facebook page, this writing platform is set for relocation. Moving this site from what has been a successful venue was a decision preceded by much conflicted thought, but the technical difficulties recently experienced with the Blogger domain have prompted this choice. I will wait until the new location of this blog is more significantly prepared to reveal anything further, but for now please continue to check back and I thank you for your viewership.

Even when I don't have the time to communicate my current zoological musings through this blog I'm delving into related literature, photographing inner-city theropods (Columba livia), and marvelling at colossal bear skeletons (Arctodus simus).

Friday, May 1, 2015

The cover of Rhinoceros Giants, with brilliant artwork by Carl Buell. (Source)

The ungulates are an exceptionally diverse group of mammals, with members having conquered a wide range of niches and even returning to the sea. One of the most interesting representatives of this clade was the impressive fossil perissodactyl Paraceratherium, the focus of abook recently published by Dr. Donald Prothero. Paraceratherium holds the title of the largest terrestrial mammal ever, having stood twenty-two feet tall at the shoulder and outweighing the largest modern elephant by twice its bulk. This animal possessed a skull which could grow to six feet in length and exhibited a pair of conical tusks. Prothero details an intriguing new interpretation of the skull's anatomical features which suggest that this rhinocerotoid would have possessed a form of trunk or proboscis and relatively large ears: striking morphology illustrated in the vibrant cover of this book. Rhinoceros Giants provides an exciting narrative on both the discovery and evolutionary history of Paraceratherium, shedding much light on the diverse past of the rhinoceros. I feel that a book of the nature as this one has been well-warranted for quite some time now. Prothero helps to clear up controversy over the proper name for these behemoths, and provides a better understanding of the ecology and potential life behavior of the indricotheres in detail not matched by the documentaries which helped Paraceratherium gain its fame. Rhinoceros Giants gives the unprecedented textual attention that this remarkable fossil mammal deserves.

About Me

Throughout his whole life, Jay has had a strong passion for learning about and interacting with animals. He has read numerous books, attended lectures, visited museums, and communicated with fellow researchers in hopes of advancing his knowledge pertaining to the fields of Zoology, Cryptozoology, Paleontology, and Anthropology. He took a term course on Anthropology during this past school year and is employed at a local zoological park. He has also gained experience in the natural world through hunting, hiking and other outdoor activities. Jay’s future goals include obtaining a PhD in a field related to those listed above. His work has been recognized by notable scientists such as zoologist Dr. Karl Shuker, zoologist Dr. Edward Bousfield, physical anthropologist Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum, and primatologist Michael Reid.